Dear Beachwood,
As we approach Thanksgiving, let us continue to be mindful of our spending. It is so easily to get caught up in the holiday spending, that we forget the true meaning of the holiday. Thanksgiving is a time for us to be thankful.
For many years, I spent lots of money and time trying to prepare the perfect Thanksgiving Dinner. I would spend my last dollar trying to make an impression on my family and guest. I would invite everyone I knew. My home would be filled with food and laughter. I loved to hear my family and friends praises…. Oh, Daisy your house is beautiful. Oh, Daisy this food tastes wonderful. You are doing so well for yourself. Mmm….if they only knew. I had maxed out my credit cards and spent every dime I had to impress them.
While my guests were eating and enjoying themselves, I was secretly calculating how I was going to pay my utility bills and mortgage for the month of November. My stomach would be doing flips. My nerves would be torn all to pieces. Sometimes I could not even sit down and eat, because I was so worried about my bills. To make matters worse many of my guests would take plates of food home, which would leave me trying to figure our how I was going to eat for the next couple of days. I am so thankful, that I no longer feel the need to betray myself like this any more.
No, this Thanksgiving will be much different. I get it… I am so thankful for life and the things that I have been able to experience these past couple of years. My son and I are soaring to new heights. We will spend this Thanksgiving with our family and friends without breaking the bank. We will have all of the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner, but on a much smaller scale. While we eat, we will remember to give thanks for all of our blessings.
One of the things that I am most thankful for is my Beachwood neighbors. You guys are absolutely wonderful! I am so blessed to have neighbors like you. We are all working together for one common goal, which is to make our neighborhood a better place to live. Every one of you in your own little way continues to encouragement me to keep going.
My son and I would like to take this time to wish all our Beachwood neighbors a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Daisy Lucas
“A Woman of Purpose and Destiny”

Dear Beachwood,
In my quest to become financially secure, I found that there has been a direct correlation between my finances and my health. Let me explain, the better I feel about myself the better I manage my finances and other important matters in my life. When I am depressed, sad, or for better words… out of balance for whatever reason, the more I eat and the less I pay attention to the those things that matter.
Sometime ago, while sitting in Bible study, I look down to see that my ankles were swollen. Since this was not the first time this had happen, I began to think seriously about my health. While thinking about my food consumption and lack of exercise, I continued to eat and sit on the couch. Giving thought to how I could possibly loose the extra pounds, which I had gained over the course of about 20 years. Then there was what Oprah Winfrey calls the A-ha moment! I finally got it! I thought fixing my finances would ultimately fix everything in my life. Wrong! You know how we think. If I could win the lottery all of my problems would be solved. Not so. I realized there was no book, movie, or person coming to my rescue. I had to get up off the couch and rescue myself. Food was not my problem! Money or the lack of it was not my problem! My problem was me.  I was my own worst enemy! So I got up off the couch and made the decision to finally become a whole Daisy. Not just in my finances, but in every area of my life.
The following week I made the decision to join a gym through Raleigh Parks and Recreation for only $10 a month, which does not require me to sign a contract. The gym is small and private, which I really like! Although I am unable to go every day, I go as much as I can. Like my finances, every step I take in the right direction can only lead to success.  My former employer use to say, “You can not put a price on your health.” He tried on many occasions to show me how to eat healthy, but I would always tell him that eating healthy cost too much. Well, I now see the light... Good health could save me money by reducing my healthcare cost in the long run; especially with healthcare cost rising everyday. Even if you could afford the rising cost of healthcare, what about your family?  You owe it to your family to live a well balance life.
Investing in a healthy lifestyle, could possibly be one of your most important investments.
I know this weeks Lessons Learned maybe a little off target, but I felt the need to share this A-ha moment with all of you.  Like I have said in the past, “I am on a journey.”  
Daisy Lucas
“A Woman of Purpose and De

Dear Beachwood,
Suze Orman once said, “Nobody cares more about your money than you do”, which I now believe is absolutely true.  I spent most of my life running away from my parent’s success. Both of my parents achieved financial success, through hard work and perseverance.  Unfortunately, neither of my parents managed their money very well.
My father, who only had an eight grade education, owned a successful trucking company and was part owner of a seafood market. My mother on the other hand, who was a single mom, worked in the medical field as a Dialysis Technician. She was one of the best in her field, which afforded her a very generous salary. Yes, life was good for the most part, but neither of my parents gave much thought to the future. My father lost everything, due to poor planning. My mother’s health failed her at an early age, which forced her to have to go on disability.
In order to not follow in their foot steps, I chose to go to college and learn as much as I could about money management.  Well, as much as I did not want to be like my parents, I have become them. But as Oprah Winfrey often says, “When you know better you do better”, which what I am attempting to do every day. This empowering statement leads to my Lessons learned this week.
For starters, have you ever notice how upset some people get when you make the mistake of asking them a question? Well, my first quest last week was to speak with my telephone provider. Since I had some questions about my bill, I decided to give them a call. The first person I spoke with kept putting me on hold, while they checked my account. Every time she came back to the phone I would give her a summary of everything she told me. I would then follow up with another question, which irritated her to no end. Once our conversation was over, I chose to call back in order to speak with someone else. Something in my gut was telling me, that she had given me incorrect information. The second person I spoke with transferred me someone else, who obviously had the day off, so I called back a third time. After taking some time to explain my situation, the representative fixed my problem in less than 10 minutes. Finally, she apologized for the confusion and then as a kind gesture gave me a new discounted rate.  
No matter how frustrated someone becomes… keep asking questions. It is your money and nobody cares about your money more than you do. Take charge of your finances… I was on a roll last week, so I decided to called my son’s Ophthalmologist to see if I could get a better price on his glasses. Again, just by asking some questions I was told that I did not have to pay the original balance due of $178.00. After performing some recalculation, my balance is now $0.00 or some where close to it.  
If someone gets frustrated by your questions, don’t give up. Keep asking until you are sure you understand what is expected of you the consequences of your decision.  
Have a good week!
Daisy Lucas
“A Woman of Purpose and Destiny”